A boss at an American-owned call centre allegedly locked the doors and forced staff to work through an earthquake that killed 68 people in the Philippines.

Doc Camarillo, management director of business process outsourcing firm iPloy in Cebu, reportedly blocked the exit of the office while employees were evacuating on September 30.

A magnitude 6.9 quake had rattled the city, flattening homes and historic churches, but the call centre boss was said to have told terrified workers: 'Business as usual. Go back inside.'

When crying staff begged to leave, he allegedly taunted them, saying: 'You're going outside? The elevator isn't working, can you do it? Will you resign? Have you informed your team lead? Where is your team lead?'

The BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) said iPloy, owned by American CEO Jay Gissinger, and at least nine other BPO firms are now facing investigations and lawsuits over labour code violations following a flood of complaints after the earthquake.

The network's spokesman John Kyle Enero said: 'Agents were also being forced to report to work, despite their pleas to focus on their safety and their families during this crisis.

'Multiple incidents of employees insisting on not reporting to work were met with Notices-to-explain (NTEs), administrative sanctions, loss of attendance incentives and benefits, among many retaliatory actions.

'BIEN-Cebu rejects this ‘business-as-usual' approach of BPO companies and government neglect during this time of crisis. We call on all BPO workers to unite and fight back against this blatant disregard of workers' rights.'

Bienvenido Laguesma, secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), said the local government has already launched investigations into the complaints.

He said: 'I understand and I've seen that the Cebu City government is on top of this. Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival and Vice Mayor Tommy Osmeña have already ordered for a probe for DOLE to step in.

'That's why we are appealing to workers who have had negative experiences or encountered poor practices to send us the details, so we can act on them right away.'

He added that a dialogue was set with BIEN on Monday, October 6, to discuss the grievances.

Philippine seismological agency PHIVOLCS said the magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu province at 9:59 pm local time, at a depth of 5 kilometres (3 miles).

Authorities reported at least 68 fatalities from an initial tally of 72, with around 559 injured.

The quake triggered widespread power outages and flattened buildings, including a government hall and a century-old church.

PHIVOLCS seismology chief Dr Winchelle Ian Sevilla said: 'At least in the last 400 years, the fault that generated the earthquake there only moved again now. So it took a long time to move, that is why it was strong. This is based on our catalogue.'

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said: 'I am already in touch with national agencies and the Office of the President to ask for reinforcements.'

The province is a popular tourist destination and a major economic hub in the country's Visayas region.

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands inside the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' where the majority of Earth's volcano eruptions and earthquakes happen.